6+ paper examples, study guides & outlines
Creative thinking refers to the cognitive ability to generate original ideas, approach problems from unexpected angles, and move beyond conventional patterns of thought. Students write about this topic across a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, business, education, and communication. It sits at the intersection of personal development and professional skill-building, making it academically interesting because it challenges the assumption that innovation is innate rather than learned. Edward de Bono's framework of thinking hats, which appears directly in the archived papers, is one of the most recognized structured approaches to understanding how people can deliberately shift their cognitive perspective.
The papers in this collection take several distinct approaches. Some focus on personal and interpersonal dimensions, exploring how creative thinking shapes individual decision-making and resolves everyday social conflicts. Others move into applied professional contexts, particularly marketing, where original ideation has measurable strategic value. A few papers engage in comparative or analytical work, placing creative thinking alongside critical thinking to distinguish their functions and relationships. There is also a forward-looking strand, with essays examining how creative cognition connects to future technological invention and innovation.
A strong essay on creative thinking should establish a clear, specific thesis rather than making broad claims that creativity is simply "important." Evidence drawn from established frameworks, real-world case studies, or documented decision-making processes tends to carry the most weight. Writers should connect theory to concrete examples in business, technology, or human behavior to keep arguments grounded. The most common pitfall is conflating creative thinking with critical thinking without clarifying how the two processes differ and interact.